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Indonesia

Parliament passes anti-porn law

Article published on the 2008-10-30 Latest update 2008-10-30 15:05 TU

Demonstrating in support of the bill(Photo: Reuters)

Demonstrating in support of the bill
(Photo: Reuters)

Indonesia's parliament on Thursday passed a bill which bans works and body movements deemed a violation of public morality, declaring it necessary to stamp out pornography. Artists and religious minorities opposed the bill and some say they will challenge it in court.

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MPs from the nationalist Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and the Christian Prosperous and Peace Party walked out when parliament passed the bill.

But some MPs shouted Allahu Akbar (God is great) when it went through. The bill, which had been championed by the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), was modified several times during a ten-year campaign to make it law.

"This law will ensure that Islam is preserved and guaranteed. It is also not in the interest of any specific religion. The law is also meant to preserve arts and culture and not destroy them," said Hakim Sori Muda Borhan, a lawmaker from Yudhoyono's Democratic Party.

Hundreds of people demonstrated in support of the law in Jakarta on Wednesday, with a smaller turnout outside parliament on Thursday.

But religious minorities, who make up about ten per cent of the population, minority ethnic groups and artists fear that it could be used against them, especially since it empowers civil groups to back up its decisions.

There are also fears that it could discourage tourism.

Activists on the Hindu-majority island of Bali, where there have been demonstrations of thousands against the bill, say they will mount a legal challenge.